Children living and/or working on farms

Child Safety on farms is a priority for the British Health & Safety Executive (HSE) and its social partners, including, Transport and General Workers Union (TGWU) & the National Farmers Unions (NFUs). A stakeholder seminar had identified the need to set up a 'child safety working group' under the auspices of the Agricultural Industry Advisory Board (AIAC). This study aimed to ascertain the extent and type of involvement that children (under 18 years old) have in agriculture within Great Britain. A postal questionnaire was designed and administered to 10,000 farms and horticultural units and a 12% response rate was secured.

The results from the study throw much light on the potential risk run by children who either live, work, help out or visit farms (formally or informally). Tasks performed and their frequency and duration were collected, all of which increase our understanding of what children do on farms on a regular basis, but also will inform better planning to reduce accidents involving children on farms in Great Britain.

The underlying message is that there are many more children working on the family farm than there are child casual employees/helpers. Children visiting farms are thought to be in significant numbers, the range of tasks they carry out is very limited as opposed to family farm children or casual child employees/helpers.